Healing of bone lesions is one of the inherent properties of a living organism, while the regenerative potency of the bone tissue is practically limitless. Complete and perfect reunion of bone fragments is unattainable without formation of a regenerated osseous tissue (callus) that fills up the gap between the fragments of the fractured bone. The process of reunion proceeds in several steps, i.e., first a connective layer arises around the fracture, comprising the components liable to calcify to form a callus that will turn into the bone tissue under the normal course of the fracture reunion process, which exhibits characteristic biochemical and physiological properties.
For many years, the scientific community has been conducting research for medical drugs for the treatment of bone fractures not only to consolidate the bones, but to reduce the time estimated for healing the bones, normally 3 to 6 months. Additionally, open fractures have the added variable of complications due to the possibility of infection. This can occur directly from infection agents due to poor aseptic conditions of surgical centers in the case of management of medical instruments. This infection variable is present in as many as 40% of the cases avoiding the consolidation of the bones and consequently leading to the disability of the patient who has suffered an accident.
The use of synthetic material, such as metal plates, screws and other external fixers, has improved the consolidation process for bones. However, these material do not prevent union delays and pseudo-arthrosis which continue to be frequent and an unsolvable problem.
In the osteogenesis process, two factors are of primary concern: the inorganic and organic compound. Research has demonstrated the osseous tissue consists of organic matter (30 percent), mineral components (60 percent) and water (10 percent). The osseous organic matter is known to consist of collagen (95 percent), while as little as 5 percent accounts for other compounds. The mineral, or inorganic, constituent of a bone is in effect the crystals of hydroxyapatite formed by calcium and phosphorus salts. These crystals are the building materials that give consistency, resistance and strength to the osseum tissue which in most cases, due to the biological and biochemical dysfunction in the human body, the amounts needed can decrease and cause weaknesses that make the bones susceptible to damage coming from external sources and result in the appearance of fractures. The organic compound is represented by Collagen Type I, para-thromone and Vitamin D as is well known and studied. Collagen Type I is basically the principal element present in the Osseum Matrix and is formed by proteins encoded by CO1A1 and CO1A2 genes and provides a “cement” where the crystal calcium and phosphorus salt, i.e. hydroxyapatite, place one over the other until a resistant osseum tissue is formed. The aberrations (more or less 130) on these genes produce disturbances on the formation not only related to quantity but quality of Collagen type I which have been the studies of numerous studies conducted on imperfect osteogenesis, but not in fractures coming from another causes.
In addition to fractures resulting from outside causes, several diseases and defects of the bone tissue result in weakened and fracture-prone bones. Such diseases and defects include osteomyelitis, pseudoarthrosis, osteoporosis, osseum tumors, and imperfect osteogenesis. Furthermore, union delay of fractured bones is a condition that afflicts many people.
As an alternative to traditional medicine, many people find comfort from various ailments from herbal formulations and extracts. Comfrey, also known as Symphytum officinalis, is a member of the Boraginaceae or Borage family known for treating various ailments. Poke, also known as Phytolacca decandra, is a member of the Phytolaccaceae or Pokeweed family and is known to treat various conditions, including use as an anti-microbial compound. These herbal ingredients have also been known as ingredients in cosmetic compositions in combination with other herbal and chemical ingredients.